June 21st, 2025Beetham’s Botanicals

Well here I am penning another article for you, the reader, to enjoy…
This time I’ll be recommending some important jobs to be done in the home garden during winter…although not exhaustive it will give you an insight into keeping busy at this cold time of year.

First up my priority would be to ensure all your garden tools are shipshape after thorough cleaning, sharpening and oiling. With winter pruning high on the agenda secateurs, lopper and saw will certainly be on call.

1. Pruning of deciduous trees and shrubs is ideal as their sap flow is at a minimum and so reduces “bleeding” of pruning cuts. There are a plethora of books dedicated to plant pruning so a visit to a bookstore is advised or you could adopt the online approach. Either way there is no real rule of thumb with winter pruning so being sure of what you’re doing is vital.
2. Soil preparation and improvement can be done now to ensure the best conditions for old and new plantings while they wait for the warmer weather to arrive. So adding (organic) compost that can be enriched with animal manure (I find sheep is the best) will add structure to the soil and as it breaks down it slowly releases nutrients…and don’t forget Aussie natives hate phosphorous.
3. It’s also time to start pruning back of perennials and sub-shrubs such as perovskia atriplicifolia (Russian sage), asters, salvias (sages), achilleas (yarrows), ornamental grasses and penstemons. This involves cutting off spent flowers and foliage (often to the ground) and here’s a tip – I like to leave some basal stalks that help protect the plant from being trodden on.
4. Planting in winter can be restricted due to the increasing cold but there are still plenty of options open. Consider planting asparagus crowns, garlic bulbs and allium seedlings (chives, garlic chives & spring onions) and with soil prep completed you can plant new perennials and, after division, old ones from your garden. This is also the best time to plant deciduous trees and shrubs that are often sold bare-rooted at a nursery although containerised stock is also offered but is usually more expensive and you’ve got to dig a bigger hole.
5. Finally, look out for winter-flowering plants at the nursery and any other gardens you come across. These may include camellias, daphnes, hellebores, magnolias (late), rhododendrons and wattles. And here’s a short list of not so common species: chimonanthus praecox (wintersweet), cornus mas (cornelian cherry – see image), hamamelis (witch-hazel – see image), mahonias, prunus mume (flowering apricot), sarcococca spp. (sweet box) and viburnum farreri (fragrant viburnum – see image).

Cheers John Beetham (Trees in Australia)
Next time: Garden design & construction during winter
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